Le Bonheur 1965 «2027»
Varda famously said, "I wanted to film happiness so directly that it would become unbearable." She succeeded. The film ends with François and Émilie discussing jam. The children call her "Maman." The audience is left screaming internally.
While François falls asleep under the trees, Thérèse wanders off. Shortly after, François wakes up to find her body being dragged from a nearby lake. Whether her drowning was an tragic accident or a deliberate suicide remains one of the film’s haunting ambiguities.
At its core, is a film about the pursuit of happiness. Thérèse's quest is both deeply personal and universally relatable, as she grapples with the complexities of love, desire, and identity. Through her journey, Varda poses fundamental questions about the nature of happiness: What does it mean to be happy? Is happiness a fixed state, or is it a fleeting experience? Can we find happiness through relationships, or is it a solitary pursuit? le bonheur 1965
le bonheur 1965, Agnès Varda, French New Wave, feminist film analysis, happiness cinema, 1960s French film, Thérèse death scene, existential cinema.
Upon its release in 1965, Le Bonheur polarized audiences and critics alike. Some misread the film entirely, viewing it as a celebration of free love or an amoral defense of infidelity. Others recognized it as a radical, deeply cynical feminist critique disguised as a romance. It won the prestigious Silver Bear Extraordinary Jury Prize at the 15th Berlin International Film Festival, solidifying Varda’s status as a pioneering force in world cinema. Varda famously said, "I wanted to film happiness
[18]. It remains one of the most provocative and misunderstood entries of the French New Wave, winning the Jury Grand Prix at the 15th Berlin International Film Festival for its radical exploration of domesticity and male privilege [32]. The Illusion of a Pastoral Dream
By pairing a cheerful aesthetic with a disturbing narrative, Varda created a cinematic paradox that continues to spark intense debate among viewers and critics alike. The Plot: An Illusion of Contentment While François falls asleep under the trees, Thérèse
is one of the most provocative, visually stunning, and intellectually subversive films of the French Nouvelle Vague (New Wave). Directed by Agnès Varda, the "Grandmother of the New Wave," the film explores the nature of happiness, fidelity, and human replacement. Beneath its sun-drenched, Impressionist aesthetic lies a chilling critique of patriarchal structures and the myth of the ideal nuclear family. Decades after its release, Le Bonheur remains a masterpiece of feminist cinema that challenges viewers to look past surface-level beauty to confront uncomfortable truths. The Plot: A Dangerous Pastel Paradise
While Thérèse initially appears to accept his reasoning, the emotional devastation is immediate and fatal. After making love with François, she wanders away; he later awakens to find her drowned body pulled from a nearby lake—an apparent suicide . The film’s most chilling turn comes after her funeral. Following a vacation meant to heal, François simply returns to Émilie, who seamlessly moves into Thérèse’s home. By autumn, “François once again has a happy family” as Émilie takes over all the domestic tasks once performed by his deceased wife .
